The invention concerns a process for producing an industrial electrolyte that can be designed in the form of a thixotropic gel in the cells of lead storage batteries.
Lead storage batteries with industrial electrolytes in the form of a thixotropic gel are known in and of themselves and have the advantage of being leak-free and maintenance-free. Putting the gel in the storage battery during production is still a problem.
According to DE-A-459909, the main components of the industrial electrolyte are placed in the cells separated from one another. First, the sulfuric acid is stored in the form of lead sulfate in the active masses of the electrode plates and the cells are provided with a dry filling, if necessary. Distilled water is not poured into the cells except by the end user, so that during charging, the sulfuric acid becoming free again with water forms the industrial electrolyte.
According to DE-A-3041953, only part of the acid necessary for the final acid density is placed in the active masses of the electrode plates. During start-up, a sulfuric acid-forming mixture is used, and the battery is filled with it.
According to EP-A-0272474, all the sulfuric acid that is necessary to adjust the final acid density of the industrial electrolyte of the ready-to-use battery is stored as lead sulfate in the active masses of the positive and negative plates. In the second step in the process, a water-forming mixture with an hydrogen-ion former, in predetermined quantities, composed of either phosphoric acid or sodium hydrogen sulfate, and a gel former in the form of pyrogenic silicone dioxide are mixed in, and the storage battery cells are filled with it, and the water is basically mixed with the hydrogen-ion former or some parts of it before the gel former.
All known processes described in the past have the disadvantage that only small quantities can be mixed in, as they are needed for the manufacturing or start-up process of lead storage batteries. If the quantities prepared and produced are too large, there is a danger that the gel former will be ineffective, so that residual quantities that are not recyclable now are no longer suitable for industrial use.
Starting from the state of the art, the problem of this invention is to specify a process for producing an industrial electrolyte that can be designed in the form of a thixotropic gel in the cells of lead storage batteries, with which large quantities of the liquids needed to fill the lead storage battery can be prepared and mixed to improve the industrial usability and the production method.
For the technical solution to this problem, the invention proposes that in the active masses of positive and negative plates in the storage battery cells, the quantity of sulfuric acid needed to adjust the final acid density of the industrial electrolyte of the ready-to-use storage battery is stored in the form of lead sulfate, while independently of this, water is set at a pH value of 2 to 4.7 by adding an acid, and is then mixed with a gel former.
Surprisingly, it has been shown that the specified pH range for the gel former represents a delay, so that the water/acid/gel former mixture produced can also be mixed in large quantities and can be utilized over a longer period of time.
Normally, the sulfuric acid in the plates in the form of lead sulfate is stored both electro-chemically and also chemically.
In the chemical process, the storage battery cells mounted with still unmolded positive and negative plates are filled with sulfuric acid. After a certain time, lead sulfate in the quantity necessary for the final acid density of the industrial electrolyte for the ready-to-use storage battery is formed in the active masses. The remaining sulfuric acid is taken out of the cell vessels again.
In an electrochemical process, storage battery cells with the positive and negative plates mounted are first molded, i.e., the storage battery is charged by being filled, preferably with sulfuric acid. After the end of the charging program, the acid density of the electrolyte is adjusted by acid exchange or by the addition of more sulfuric acid, so the acid stored in the active masses in lead sulfate during subsequent discharge and the remaining residual acid density in the plates and separators is dimensioned so that the final acid density of the industrial electrolyte for the ready-to-use storage battery is formed from it. After the battery is discharged, the electrolyte is removed and replaced by the water-gel former mixture.
According to one very advantageous proposal in the invention, during the process when lead sulfate is formed, the sulfuric acid is circulated in the cells. This homogenizes the acid density in the positive and negative plates and in the cell.
According to another advantageous proposal in the invention, circulation is also brought about by filling the storage battery cells with the water-gel former mixture, which also homogenizes it. According to another advantageous proposal in the invention, the water-gel former mixture circulates after the storage battery cells are filled with it and if necessary during a charging process until a gelling process is used.
In an advantageous way, circulation is provided by blowing in air.
The invention also proposes very advantageously that boric acid be used to adjust the pH value. The boric acid can be mixed with water, instead of phosphoric acid or sodium hydrogen sulfate, to set the pH value and has another positive delaying effect in terms of the gel former.
Advantageously, the cells can also be filled with phosphoric acid when filled with the water-gel former mixture, which has a positive influence on the cycle strength.